The Trayvon Martin Foundation is a racial justice advocacy organization dedicated to the memory of Trayvon Martin, an African American teenager who was shot and killed in a 2012 altercation by George Zimmerman. The organization engages in left-of-center framing of policy issues, attributing violent crime to firearms and private firearm ownership. ^{1 2 3}

The Trayvon Martin Foundation blends its memorial aspect with social advocacy, opposition to gun violence, and emotional support and educational programs for those who have lost loved ones. ⁴

Background

The Trayvon Martin Foundation is a racial justice advocacy organization dedicated to the memory of Trayvon Martin, an African American teenager who was shot and killed in a 2012 altercation by insurance researcher George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch coordinator in his gated community, the Retreat at Twin Lakes in Sanford, Florida. Martin was temporarily living there at the time when he was shot. ^{1 2} A jury acquitted Zimmerman of all charges in the shooting. ⁵

The Trayvon Martin Foundation was formed in 2012 by Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, the parents of Trayvon Martin. ^{6 4}

Activities

The Trayvon Martin Foundation blends its memorial aspect with left-of-center social advocacy, opposition to gun violence, and emotional support and educational programs for those who have lost loved ones. ⁴

In 2023, the Trayvon Martin Foundation reported spending $17,000 on a “coding STEM camp” which was said to have taught children robotics, coding, and 3D printing over a five-week period. It spent $65,012 on its “Circle of Mothers” event, which facilitated a meeting between grief counselors and mothers who had lost children to gun violence. Its “Annual Remembrance Dinner Weekend,” on which it spent $50,000, also engaged in left-wing framing of the issue, blaming violence on “guns.” The annual event aims to increase “awareness of gun violence in the community through community march [sic], music, and speakers.” That year, the group spent another $32,948 on unnamed program services. ³

The organization advertises a book written by its founders, Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin, published in 2018. The book is advertised as a memoir of Trayvon’s life that also “address[es] the broader issues of race, justice, and activism in America.” ^{4 7}

Financials

In 2023, the Trayvon Martin Foundation reported revenue of $178,301, total expenses of $164,960, and net assets of $144,370. ⁸

Leadership

As of 2024, Trayvon Martin Foundation founder Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin, was the organization’s president. ⁹

According to the Foundation’s website, after her son was killed, Fulton chose to “dedicat[e] her life to transforming the narrative around gun violence, racial injustice, and the need for systemic change.” She has appeared as a keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention and at events held by Women’s March. ⁴

1. Francescani, Chris. “George Zimmerman: Prelude to a shooting.” Reuters, April 25, 2012. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-florida-shooting-zimmerman-idUSBRE83O18H20120425/.
2. Hamacher, Brian; Emmanuel, Lisa Orkin. “George Zimmerman Makes First Appearance Before Judge.” NBC Miami, April 12, 2012. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/george-zimmerman-to-make-first-appearance-before-judge-thursday/1920375/.
3. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Trayvon Martin Foundation. 2023. Part III.
4. “Trayvon Martin Foundation.” Trayvon Martin Foundation. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://trayvonmartinfoundation.org/.
5. Botelho, Greg, and Holly Yan. “George Zimmerman Found Not Guilty of Murder in Trayvon Martin’s Death.” CNN, July 14, 2013. https://www.cnn.com/2013/07/13/justice/zimmerman-trial.
6. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Trayvon Martin Foundation. 2023. Box L.
7. “Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin.” Amazon. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DHV2QXL4?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_em_apin_dp_MGF86K5RNJAD4555KTED&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_em_apin_dp_MGF86K5RNJAD4555KTED&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_em_apin_dp_MGF86K5RNJAD4555KTED&starsLeft=1&skipTwisterOG=1&bestFormat=true&titleSource=avft-a&newOGT=1.
8. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Trayvon Martin Foundation. 2023. Part I, lines 12, 18, 22.
9. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Trayvon Martin Foundation. 2023. Part II.